GB1566758A

GB1566758A - Merchandise display apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1566758A
Application number: GB97877A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: GOODMAN AND SONS Inc H
Current assignee: GOODMAN AND SONS Inc H
Priority date: 1977-01-11
Filing date: 1977-01-11
Publication date: 1980-05-08

Description

(54) MERCHANDISE DISPLAY APPARATUS (71) We, H. GOODMAN & SONS, INC., of 969 Newark Turnpike, Kearny, New Jersey 07032, United States of America, a Corporation of the State of Delaware, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to merchandise display apparatus, such as is widely used in retail stores.

It is desirable for a retail merchant to be able to estimate quickly and record the amount of each item of merchandise on display for sale. It has long been known that the number of articles on a rod can be gauged quickly by scale markings along the rod. As an adaptation of that arrangement the amount of merchandise of the type that hangs from a cantilever arm can be quickly estimated by scale markings along the arm.

A label carried at the free end of a second arm parallel to a merchandise carrying arm is also known, for providing information related to such merchandise. Varied information can be included on the label, such as its price and its brand, and the kind of product and its code designation may also be included. Dual-armed merchandise display apparatus tends to become relatively expensive, a significant concern where a large amount of the apparatus is needed.

In addition, dual-arm display apparatus wastes an undue amount of space that can better be used for display of merchandise.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for display of merchandise mounted on cards each having a hole therein, comprising an arm for supporting cards by their holes, the arm in use extending from a support in a substantially horizontal direction the arm having a series of demarcations for use in judging the amount of merchandise displayed on the arm, and further having, near the end remote from the support, a surface bearing a reference relating to the merchandise displayed on the arm, the greatest transverse dimension of the cross-section of the arm in the region of the reference-bearing surface being not substantially greater than the greatest transverse dimension of the cross-section of the arm at any other point along the arm and the profile of the arm being such as to allow sliding of the cards along the arm and off the said end of the arm.

The demarcations along the arm are variably concealed by merchandise on the arm, providing both a measure of the amount of merchandise on hand and a measure of depletion of the stock. Such information is useful in re-ordering and in routine taking of inventory. The same arm which supports the cards bears the reference, preferably a label, that is adapted to identify the merchandise on that arm. The label is located on a portion of the arm remote from its supported end.

The invention will be further described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of merchandise display apparatus embodying the invention, and also shows some merchandisebearing cards.

Figs. 2-4 are greatly enlarged cross-sections of the merchandise supporting arms of Fig. 1 at the planes 2-3, 3-3 and 4--4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a mer chandise supporting arm of Fig. 1, drawn to larger scale than in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged vertical crosssection of the arm shown in Fig. 5 as viewed at the plane 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a greatly enlarged cross-section of a display arm as in Fig. 4, together with a fragmentary illustration of a merchandise display card.

Fig. 8 is a greatly enlarged view of a portion of the arm shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 and 10 are fragmentary perspective views of modifications of the arm shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. I1 is a greatly enlarged cross-section of an arm as viewed at the plane 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Figs. 12 and 13 are fragmentary perspective views of further modifications of the arm shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 14 and 15 are top and side views respectively of another display apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 16 is a front view of the arm shown in Figs. 14 and 15.

Fig. 17 is a front view of a vertical display panel supporting a plurality of arms as shown in Figs. 14-16.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary perspective view of merchandise display apparatus incorporating the form of rod shown in Fig.

116.

Referring now to the drawings, an upright support 10 is shown in Fig. 1, being in this instance a panel having a modular pattern of holes. Three arms 12, 14 and 16 are shown in Fig. 1. Arms 14 and 16 are identical, and differ from arm 12 in one respect discussed below. A series of merchandisebearing cards 18 hang from arm 16, concealing part of its length.

Each arm 14 and 16 as shown in Fig. 5 includes an elongated portion 20 for carrying merchandise, conventional formations at one end of the arm for securing the bracket to support 10, and a free end portion 22 that slants upwards. The securing means illustrated includes two prongs 24 that are bent upwards to penetrate respective spaced-apart holes in panel 10 as shown in Fig. 1, prongs 24 being formed of a bent rod that is welded to the arm. A leg 26 extends downward from the main arm and bears against the front of panel 10. Securing means 24, 26 causes the arm to extend in cantilever fashion, approximately horizontally, from its secured end at the panel to its free end portion 22.

The arm shown is made of steel and is round in cross-section. There are four demarcations in the form of flattened portions 28 distributed at equal intervals along the arm. In an example, portions 28 are distributed at 11inch intervals, covering six inches of the arm nearest securing means 24, 26, and the arm is nine inches long.

Flattened portions 28 in this example are provided with distinguishing indicia such as numbers "1-2-3-4" as shown, forming a scale. Many packages may be suspended from portion 20 by passing the arm through a hole in each of a series of merchandisebearing cards and sliding the cards along the arm. The packages on portion 20 conceal part of the scale. The ascending numbers of the scale represent the extent of depletion of the stock. The scale also provides a measure of the amount of merchandise remaining in inventory on the arm.

As seen in Figs. 5 and 6, each flattened portion 28 has opposite faces that are generally flat and vertical. The term "flattened portion" is here used to mean a generally flat face, or a pair of opposite, generally flat faces provided by a swaging operation. Each of the portions 28 is formed by locally swaging the round arm between generally flat-faced dies having grooves to form the scale numerals 29 which thus project from the flat faces. The flattening operation causes narrowing and some elongation of the crosssection of the arm and it produces a flattened portion whose width W is notably greater than the diameter D of the arm where it is round ie. the cross-section of the arm is narrowed and elongated in the portions 28. The flattened portions raise bumps along the top and the bottom of the arm. The cross-sectional area of the flattened portions 28 is nearly as great as the round cross-section of the remainder of the arm. Width W in an example is about 4 inch and the thickness in this example is about 3/32 inch, giving a cross-sectional area of portion 28 of about 0.0234 square inch as compared to a 3/16-inch diameter D and a cross-section area of about 0.0275 square inch of the remainder of the arm.

The flattened portions, with the resulting bumps that rise from the cylindrical surface of the essentially straight arm have several attributes. Being wide, the flat faces can bear large easily read characters. However, the flat faces and related bumps can also be noted where the light or the viewing angle is poor, by sliding one's hand along the portion of the arm that is not occupied by packages. The strength of the arm as a cantilever support is not impaired and may even be enhanced where (as in the illustrated form) the transversely enlarged dimension (diameter plus the bumps) is in the vertical or near-vertical plane.

In the example partly identified above by dimensions, the length L of each flat face is about i inch. Sloping end facets 30 provide transitions between the flat facets and the round arm sections. The bumps rise above the level of the aligned round arm sections by only 1/32 inch in the dimensioned example, but in any case there are rounded transitions 32 between the round and the flattened portions of the arm along the top and bottom surfaces of the arm at each end of each flattened portion, so that the presence of the flattened portions does not appreciably impede sliding of a merchandisebearing card along the arm. The profile of the arm is thus such as not to present any stop surface against which the cards can abut.

Adjacent free end 22 of the cantilever arm there is a reference in the form of a label 34, which here reads "64-F" to relate the arm to the merchandise that is allocated to that arm. Label 34 is of any suitable material. For example, it may be printed paper, especially paper with a coated or laminated transparent film, or embossed foil or the like. A wide variety of labels may be prepared on a single large sheet, the individual labels being die-cut for individual use and removably adhered to a carrier sheet. Many differently labeled arms can thus be made readily available at the point of use, and their identifying marks can be changed easily.

Label 34 is here adhered to a referencebeing surface provided at a flattened portion 36 of the arm, in this example having roughly the same width W as portions 28 but longer, e.g. i inch. The flat referencebearing surface has marginal longitudinal ribs 38 (Fig. 7) flanking the label 34. The labels 34 on flattened portions 36 of the arms 14 and 16 slant upwards to the right and the label 34 on flattened portion 361 slopes downward to the right, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The example shown involves a slope of about 22 degrees, but of course the slant angle can be varied widely. The arm 12 is installed on support 10 above eye-elevel and the arms 14 and 16 are installed near eye-level or below. The tilt of the labels makes it easier to read them in taking inventory. Here the tilt is about the axis of the rod.

As seen in Fig. 7, merchandise-bearing card 18 has a hole H that is round and has a diameter appreciably larger than the width W of the flattened sections 28 and 36 along the arms. The flattening provides sufficient width for larger characters at por tions 28 and label 34, but the transverse widths of the scale and reference-bearing flattened portions of the rod are small enough for readily entering the holes H of ordinary size in the merchandise-bearing cards.

The cards are guided by lower guide surface 42 and bearing surface 40 to move along the arm without engaging the label.

A corner is formed where the reference bearing surface has an abrupt transition to the bearing and guide surfaces 40 and 42.

Such corners are exaggerated where ribs 38 are present. The corners and especially the ribs 38, enhance the effect of the curvature of hole H in guarding the label against defacement or damage when merchandise cards are loaded on and removed from the arms. The corners would protect the label to some extent even if the label-bearing face were directed upwards; but there is greater assurance of these corners protecting the label where (as shown) bearing surface 40 faces upward to provide support for the merchandise card. With this arrangement, random sideways displacement of a card as it is shifted along the arm does not cause the edge of the hole to rub the label.

Fig. 9 illustrates two modified aspects of the flattened label-bearing portion of the arm, for the most part having the same details and advantages as the flattened portions 36 and 36'. First the flattened labelbearing portion 36a is formed along slanting end portion 22a of the arm 20a. The remainder of the arm (not shown) includes portions 24, 26 and 28. Second, the opposite faces of the flattened portion are at least approximately parallel and vertical. Locating the flattened label-bearing portion of the arm along end 22 allows utilization of the horizontal portion of arm for packages without concealing the label. Separately, the vertical disposition of opposite faces of flattened portion 36a provides surfaces to which two labels 34a are adhered, in position for inspection from either side of the arm.

The flattened portions 36 and 361 can be modified to have opposite vertical faces with attendant advantages. Additionally, it will be recognized that flattened portion 36a on end portion 22a can slant as shown in Figs.

2 and 3, with corresponding advantages. In all cases, relatively broad label-bearing faces are provided on flattened portions of the arms, which readily enter holes H of the package without causing defacement or other damage during shift of the merchandise along the arms.

Fig. 10 and 11 show a further modification of the label-bearing portion of the arm.

Portion 36b has a prominently concave face 44 and overhanging longitudinal ribs 38b, formed integrally by successive forming operations. Label 34b is a resilient member, especially a clear plastic strip with imprinted characters or characters imprinted on or provided separately at the rear face of a clear plastic member. The feature of a protective clear plastic cover (see above) can be incorporated in labels 34, but the concave configuration of Figs. 10 and 11 and overhanging lips 38b provide still greater protection for the label. The mechanical working of the arm to provide this configuration increases the cost, making the construction of Figs. 10 and 11 less attractive in this respect than those of Figs. 2-9.

Fig. 12 shows a further modification. The arm 20c has a round portion 22c and an up-set or enlarged tip 22d such as a ball of greater diameter than portion 22c of the arm. A label may be embossed into a plastic sleeve 34c and the sleeve then forced into place past ball formation 22d. Several repetitions of the label indicia are included around the tube, for easy viewing and to avoid concern as to the orientation of the characters when the sleeve is being applied. The repeated characters of label 34c are ordinarily smaller and thus less easily read than in the case of labels 34 and 34a. Alternatively, a label can be adhered to and wrapped around the arm and a protective sleeve of clear plastic can be forced into position covering the label.

A further modification is illustrated in Fig. 13. Arm 20f has a straight end to which a fitting 22f of metal or plastic is attached, for example by adhesive or force-fit. Label 34f is formed on, or attached to a referencebearing surface on an upstanding portion of fitting 22f, which can be (as shown) a portion of fitting 22f that slants upward and toward the support end of the arm. Label 34f is readily viewed from the end of the arm.

Being flat and bounded by corners the surface bearing the label 34f is protected from harmful rubbing contact with the edges of hole H. The same shape of label-bearing portion 34f can be formed as an integral part of the arm by swaging. As a further alternative, the label-bearing portion 34f may extend horizontally at any other angle with the label-bearing facet in a plane which is perpendicular to arm portion 20f or which slants upward and toward the rear, i.e., the support end of the arm.

The term "flat" is not to be treated in the strict geometric sense, since departures from the "flat" including concave or even moderately convex faces can serve like purposes. Flat and equivalent faces can be called "facets". Arms of square or other cross-section can similarly be swaged on one side or on opposite sides to provide the scale demarcations and associated bumps.

Arms having a circular cross-section can be provided with generally flat surfaces by grinding. In this case, the localized flat portions could be felt in cases where the visibility is poor, but the extra width for scale numerals and the bumps that result from flattening the arm by swaging would be missing. Indeed, if the advantage of being able to feel the scale demarcations were not valued, the arm could have a flat or flattened face along its whole length, bearing scale marks and an applied label. Such an arm could have label-protecting corners or ribs (similar to the ribs 38) all along its length.

The feature of protection for the label afforded by the longitudinally extending corners on slant portions 36 and 361 of arms 12, 14 and 16, as well as portion 36b, described above, is not limited to use with merchandise cards which commonly have round holes. Where the merchandise card has a hole or slot of other shape, for example a square or rectangular hole with its top and bottom edges horizontal, and with its side edges vertical, it can be seen that the reference-bearing surfaces shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11 are such that a label carried by the surface is unlikely to be engaged by merchandise-bearing cards as they are slid along the arm. Similarly, labelbearing facets are effectively disposed in a vertical plane where a merchandise card has a hole shaped as an equilateral triangle with an apex at the top.

The merchandise display of Figs. 11 8 has the broad advantages of the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1-13, plus further distinctive advantages. In these figures, elements bearing "100"-series numerals correspond to elements in Figs. 1-13 bearing like two-digit numerals. In the interest of brevity, their description is not repeated here. The arm diameter, the approximate overall length of the arm, and the thickness, the width and the contours of the flattened portions are all the same in Figs.

14--18 as in Figs. 1 13.

In Figs. 1g16, the arm 112 has three main segments, a main merchandise-supporting segment 38, a front segment 40 and a connecting segment 42. These segments are connected to one another in series, end-toend, so that a merchandise-bearing card can move onto the arm and be removed from the arm by moving along these segments one after another. As seen in Fig. 15, segment 42 slopes upward toward the front, having an angle A' to the horizontal. Flattened label-bearing portion 136 is displaced by a small angle A from the vertical so as to be slightly slanted upward and to the rear. As seen in Fig. 16, segments 40 is approximately horizontal, but has a slight slant upward to the right.

Label portion 136 can be readily inspected from the front of the display, looking toward the rear. Connecting portion 22 serves to center the flattened label portion of the arm opposite the end of the arm.

Each of these two factors facilitates use of the apparatus in taking inventory, especially when the packages are small and the arms are relatively close toeach other.

The fact that segment 40 extends along a line roughly across the end of the arm has the further advantage of providing a large surface area that reduces the possibility of injury such as might happen to a person bumping against a sharp-ended arm. This effect is the same whether segment 40 were connected directly to segment 38 or, as shown, in a construction that includes segment 42. The effect would be the same were segment 40 vertical or near-vertical as in Fig. 13.

While the arms as described above are of steel or other suitable metal, arms of like construction can be moulded of reinforced plastic as a modification.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Apparatus for displayof merchandise mounted on cards each having a hole therein, comprising an arm for supporting cards

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. can be adhered to and wrapped around the arm and a protective sleeve of clear plastic can be forced into position covering the label. A further modification is illustrated in Fig. 13. Arm 20f has a straight end to which a fitting 22f of metal or plastic is attached, for example by adhesive or force-fit. Label 34f is formed on, or attached to a referencebearing surface on an upstanding portion of fitting 22f, which can be (as shown) a portion of fitting 22f that slants upward and toward the support end of the arm. Label 34f is readily viewed from the end of the arm. Being flat and bounded by corners the surface bearing the label 34f is protected from harmful rubbing contact with the edges of hole H. The same shape of label-bearing portion 34f can be formed as an integral part of the arm by swaging. As a further alternative, the label-bearing portion 34f may extend horizontally at any other angle with the label-bearing facet in a plane which is perpendicular to arm portion 20f or which slants upward and toward the rear, i.e., the support end of the arm. The term "flat" is not to be treated in the strict geometric sense, since departures from the "flat" including concave or even moderately convex faces can serve like purposes. Flat and equivalent faces can be called "facets". Arms of square or other cross-section can similarly be swaged on one side or on opposite sides to provide the scale demarcations and associated bumps. Arms having a circular cross-section can be provided with generally flat surfaces by grinding. In this case, the localized flat portions could be felt in cases where the visibility is poor, but the extra width for scale numerals and the bumps that result from flattening the arm by swaging would be missing. Indeed, if the advantage of being able to feel the scale demarcations were not valued, the arm could have a flat or flattened face along its whole length, bearing scale marks and an applied label. Such an arm could have label-protecting corners or ribs (similar to the ribs 38) all along its length. The feature of protection for the label afforded by the longitudinally extending corners on slant portions 36 and 361 of arms 12, 14 and 16, as well as portion 36b, described above, is not limited to use with merchandise cards which commonly have round holes. Where the merchandise card has a hole or slot of other shape, for example a square or rectangular hole with its top and bottom edges horizontal, and with its side edges vertical, it can be seen that the reference-bearing surfaces shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11 are such that a label carried by the surface is unlikely to be engaged by merchandise-bearing cards as they are slid along the arm. Similarly, labelbearing facets are effectively disposed in a vertical plane where a merchandise card has a hole shaped as an equilateral triangle with an apex at the top. The merchandise display of Figs. 11 8 has the broad advantages of the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1-13, plus further distinctive advantages. In these figures, elements bearing "100"-series numerals correspond to elements in Figs. 1-13 bearing like two-digit numerals. In the interest of brevity, their description is not repeated here. The arm diameter, the approximate overall length of the arm, and the thickness, the width and the contours of the flattened portions are all the same in Figs. 14--18 as in Figs. 1 13. In Figs. 1g16, the arm 112 has three main segments, a main merchandise-supporting segment 38, a front segment 40 and a connecting segment 42. These segments are connected to one another in series, end-toend, so that a merchandise-bearing card can move onto the arm and be removed from the arm by moving along these segments one after another. As seen in Fig. 15, segment 42 slopes upward toward the front, having an angle A' to the horizontal. Flattened label-bearing portion 136 is displaced by a small angle A from the vertical so as to be slightly slanted upward and to the rear. As seen in Fig. 16, segments 40 is approximately horizontal, but has a slight slant upward to the right. Label portion 136 can be readily inspected from the front of the display, looking toward the rear. Connecting portion 22 serves to center the flattened label portion of the arm opposite the end of the arm. Each of these two factors facilitates use of the apparatus in taking inventory, especially when the packages are small and the arms are relatively close toeach other. The fact that segment 40 extends along a line roughly across the end of the arm has the further advantage of providing a large surface area that reduces the possibility of injury such as might happen to a person bumping against a sharp-ended arm. This effect is the same whether segment 40 were connected directly to segment 38 or, as shown, in a construction that includes segment 42. The effect would be the same were segment 40 vertical or near-vertical as in Fig. 13. While the arms as described above are of steel or other suitable metal, arms of like construction can be moulded of reinforced plastic as a modification. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Apparatus for displayof merchandise mounted on cards each having a hole therein, comprising an arm for supporting cards

by their holes, the arm in use extending from a support in a substantially horizontal direction the arm having a series of demarcations for use in judging the amount of merchandise on the arm, and further having, near the end remote from the support, a surface bearing a reference relating to the merchandise displayed on the arm, the greatest transverse dimension of the cross-section of the arm in the region of the referencebearing surface being not substantially greater than the greatest transverse dimension of the cross-section of the arm at any other point along the arm and the profile of the arm being such as to allow sliding of the cards along the arm and off the said end of the arm.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each demarcation includes a surface bearing a character so arranged that a card can be slid along the arm without engaging the character bearing surface.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reference-bearing surface is such that a card can be slid along the arm without engaging the reference-bearing surface.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the demarcations are defined by a series of narrowed portions of the arm.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cross-section of the arm is narrowed and elongated in the said narrowed portions, and wherein rounded transitions are provided between each narrowed portion and the adjoining portions of the arm.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the said narrowed portions of the arm are provided by swaging the arm.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein each demarcation is provided with a distinguishing indicium.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the reference-bearing surface is defined at a narrowed region of the arm.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cross-section of the arm is narrowed and elongated in the said narrowed region of the arm, and wherein rounded transitions are provided between the narrowed region and the adjoining portions of the arm.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the said narrowed region is provided by swaging the arm.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the reference-bearing surface is provided on an end portion of the arm which is inclined upwardly with respect to the remainder of the arm.

12. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 10 wherein the reference-bearing surface faces away from the support of the arm and slants upwardly towards the support when in use.

13. Apparatus according to any of claims ] to 10 in which the reference-bearing surface is provided on an end portion of the arm which, in use, is directed upwards from the rest of the arm and inclines towards the support, the reference-bearing surface facing away from the support.

14. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the reference-bearing surface is provided on a generally horizontal portion of the arm which is arranged substantially transversely to the remainder of the arm, the reference-bearing surface being approximately centered about a vertical plane containing the remainder of the arm and facing away from the support of the arm.

15. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein a reference comprising an adhesive label is carried by the said reference-bearing surface.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein two ribs extend along the arm in the region of the said reference-bearing surface, the ribs being arranged along opposite edges of the reference bearing surface and so sharped as to prevent the label being engaged by a card as the card is slid along the arm.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the said two ribs extend along the arm beyond the region of the referencebearing surface.

18. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the reference-bearing surface is generally flat.

19. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the cross-sectional area of the arm is substantially uniform throughout its length.

20. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 18, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the arm is uniform along most of its length and wherein the maximum transverse dimension at said demarcations and at said reference-bearing surface is not more than moderately larger than that of said uniform cross-sectional shape.

21. Apparatus for display of merchandise mounted on cards, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 8 or Figs. 14 to 18 of the accompanying drawings.